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Tameside Hippodrome to close?

ASHTON-UNDER-LYNE, UK — The future of the Tameside Hippodrome is in doubt as the local Council have failed to appoint anyone to run the venue. It has been managed by Live Nation for the past 10 years, but their contract ran out at the end of 2007, they have continued to run the theatre for the last six months to allow appointment of a new management company, but none has been forthcoming.

Due to close for a refurbishment in 2008, it is not now clear if this will be carried out, or if it will be curtains for the theatre which opened in 1904, and was rebuilt as a cinema in 1933, retaining the original stage (architects Drury and Gomersall). It became a Union Cinemas house and thus passed to ABC. Films ceased in 1986, and it has been a live venue ever since, but completely unaltered.

Meanwhile the staff have been made redundant, or moved to other Live Nation venues , and at the end of March 2008 the Hippodrome will be boarded up.